References
Treating clinical mastitis in dairy herds: a role for on farm culture?
Abstract
The focus on the rational use of antibiotics in dairy herds has meant that mastitis control has received renewed interest, particularly around prevention of new infections and alternative treatment strategies. The former has seen the development of a new industry initiative (QuarterPRO) to help advisors and farmers reduce the rate of new infections and index cases. The latter has seen widespread uptake of the selective use of intramammary antibiotic for infected cows at drying-off, a reminder to the veterinary profession as well as clients about the general lack of evidence for the use of parenteral antibiotic in combination with intramammary antibiotic for mild and moderate clinical mastitis events, and finally the potential to select intramammary antibiotic treatment for clinical mastitis using on farm culture (OFC). It is important that veterinary surgeons are aware of the research around the development and use of OFC and the suitability of individual herds for this approach. Whereas antibiotics may not be required for mild clinical mastitis events caused by some pathogens, particularly Escherichia coli, it is important that clinical mastitis events (particularly first cases in a lactation cycle) caused by Gram-positive pathogens such as Streptococcus spp. and Staphylococcus aureus are treated with intramammary antibiotic to optimise chance of cure and reduce risk of transmission. With this in mind, we need to consider individual herd cell count data, herd pathogen profile and ensure careful monitoring of outcomes for clinical mastitis cases in herds that are selecting treatment based on OFC, particularly for index (first) cases in a cow's lactation.
The Five Point Plan for mastitis control developed in the UK during the 1960s was directed towards the control of those pathogens predominantly spread between cows during milking (so-called ‘contagious’ mastitis) and pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus agalactiae, but also relevant for other mastitis-causing pathogens, particularly other Gram-positive pathogens. Two of these five control measures were the importance of antibiotic dry cow therapy for all cows at drying-off and the prompt detection and treatment of all clinical cases of mastitis in lactation using an antibiotic (Neave et al, 1969). Therefore, the treatment of existing infections in cows at drying-off using an antibiotic and the treatment of clinical mastitis during lactation (visual changes to the milk and/or swelling of the affected quarter) using an antibiotic remain an important part of mastitis management in conventionally managed dairy herds in the UK as well as in other countries. In response to the publication of final recommendations from a UK government-commissioned report in 2016 (O'Neill, 2016), sector-specific targets for reducing or even replacing the use of antibiotics in UK food-producing animals were published (RUMA, 2017). For the dairy sector, these included four recommendations that related directly to mastitis control, including the use of lactating cow intramammary antibiotics.
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